Automatic electric heat and fire-alarm system.



Patented Ian; 30, I900. R. P. & J. D. MEET-0 D;

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC HEAT AND] HER ALARM SYSTEM.

( pp filled pia. 2%, 11am);

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

Patented Ian. 30, I900.

R. P. 81. J. D. OSGUOD. AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC HEAT AND FIRE ALARM SYSTEM.

(Application filed Sept. 29, 1999.

.2 SheeIsShe et 2.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD r. oseooD AND JOHN D. OSGOOD, OF METHUEN, MASSACHUSETTS;

AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC HEAT AND FIRE-ALARM SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,252, dated January 30, 190C.

Application filed September 29, 1899. Serial No. 732.039. (No model.)

To (4Z7, whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, RICHARD P. OSGOOD and JOHN D. OSGOOD, of Methuen, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Electric Heat and Fire-Alarm Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its principal objects, first, to obviate the necessity for the employment of clockwork mechanism between the inner and outer circuits; second, to prevent the sounding of false alarms on the outside circuit or circuits by reason of accident to any of the thermostats, wires, or batteries; third, to economize the operation of the system by means of a peculiar construction of the relays, wherein the armatures are so nearly over their centers of gravity that the amount of electrical energy on the part of the battery required to hold the armature in its normal position is very slight; fourth, to provide a powerful and efficient contact between the pairs of springs and the bridges in the relays; fifth, to arrange a particular circuit, including the wiring and thermostats on all floors, in a series with a suitably-located relay; sixth, to supply an arrangement of duplicate sets of wiring and thermostats on each floor, each set being electrically connected with its own relay and the relays being electrically connected with the outside circ uit that is, the engine-house to which the alarm is given-so that an accident happening on any floor to the wire of one series only will produce an alarm at the oliice of the protected building, but not at the engine-house; seventh, to indicate on the outside of the building a breakage of eitherinside circuit by reason of excessive heat or accident without the aid of clock mechanism or of auxiliary or any contact other than the single Contact in the relay, both inside circuits acting on and controlling a single drop or shutter; eighth, to produce a construction and arrangement of electrical connections whereby the vibrating bells in the relay-case are always in series with the thermostats on the various floors to the extent of having a very small current of electricity pass through them, so as to be always in test, and when the circuit is open, as

by excessive heat.- or accident, the bells are looped into a new circuit and heavily energized; ninth, to provide a construction and arrangement of electrical connections located outside of the building, whereby the indicator is rendered auxiliary to the action of the relays in a closed-circuit fire-alarm system and whereby each of two magnet-spools, constituting, with their cores and armatures, a magnetic circuit, is in separate electrical circuit with a particular floor; tenth, to pro vide certain improvements in the arrangements of the outside or engine-house circuit,

and, eleventh, to provide certain below-described improvements in the wiring.

The nature of the invention is fully described in detail below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure 1 is a side elevation showing one of the relays on a suitable base. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same, a portion being shown in vertical section and two of the springs on one side being removed. Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the system with the relays in position.

Similar letters and numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

a represents a suitable base supporting a standard b,which sustains an electromagnet C.

1-1 represents a lever extending up from a T-shaped cross-piece h, whose ends are journaled in boxes h. This lever is provided with an armature d, and the upper end of the lever is formed into the hook shape shown, which is screw-threaded to receive adj ustably the counterbalance e. By suitably arranging this counterbalance nearly or exactly over the center of gravity of the lever the lever and armature are enabled to be in the vertical position shown with the least possible expenditure of energy on the part of the battery.

f represents the rest, which is adapted to support the armature and lever when they are in the horizontal position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l and full lines in Fig. 3. The cross-bar or shaft 71, is provided with four metallic bridges K K K K, of approximately elliptical or diamond shape, said bridges being insulated from the shaft and from each other. On opposite sides of the bridges are metallic springs P P P P, of

substantially the shape shown, said springs being so arranged that when the lever is vertical the bridges are out of contacttherewith; but when it is down the ends of the bridges crowd against and slightly spread the springs, thus making a firm and powerful contact. This contact is made by the dropping of the lever, the force required to make the contact being simply that of gravity. The edges of these bridges are made quite sharp, and the surfaces of the steel springs are covered with copper in order that the edges may dig into such surfaces and make a better contact.

Referring to the diagram of the system shown inFig. 3, it will be seen that thereare two circuits, each connected with its own relay. For convenience in describing this system I will term the circuit connected with the electromagnet O circuit No. 1 and that connected with the electromagnet O circuit No. 2.

Referring to circuit No. 1, the electric wire 1 extends from the magnet C to the battery 2, from which the wire 3 extends to the vibrating bell L. From this bell the wire 4 extends to the vibrating bell L, and from this latter bell the wire 5 extends to the fourth floor and has in series with it a number of thermostats S. This wire 5 continues from the fourth floor downward through the third,

second, and first floors, successively, having thermostats in series on each floor, and thence returns to the electromagnet O, as shown. It will be understood that normally this circuit is closed and the relay is energized, its parts being in the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, not in that indicated in the diagram.

In circuit No. 2 the wire 6 extends from the magnet O to the battery 7, from which the wire 8 extends to the vibrating bell L, which is connected by the wire 9 with the vibrating bell L, from which the wire 10 extends to the fourth floor and thence down successively through the third, second, and first floors, having thermostats in series on each fioor, and thence down to the magnet C, which is normally energized byits battery in the same manner as the magnet 0.

Of course it will be understood that the relays, the magnets O and O, and the bells L, L, L, and L are all arranged in a suitable case in some room, preferably the office, in the protected building. In case the circuit is broken, say, on the fourth floor by excessive heat operating on one of the thermostats S the current in the wire 5 attempts to pass through the wire 11, which taps said wire 5 at.

12, said wire 11 connecting with the single spool D, which is a part of the indicator system on the outside of the building. From this spool extends the wire 13, which is tapped at 14 by the wire 15, which at 16 taps the wire .5, which is the Wire returning through the different thermostats to the magnet C. It

was mentioned above that the current in wire 5 in case of breakage would attempt to pass into wire 11 at 12. The entire current does not, however, actually pass into the wire 11 at this stage, for the reason that the resist ance of the spool D is, say, seven times higher than that of the magnet O. The current beingthus checked, the magnet O is practically demagnetized, so that the armature is released and the lever H allowed to drop into the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1 and in full lines in Fig. 3. The dropping of this lever brings all the metallic bridges K K K K from the vertical position indicated in Fig. 2 to the horizontal position indicated in Fig. 3, and hence into contact with the metallic springs P P P P.

B on the diagram represents an open-circuit battery, from which a wire 17 extends to the spring P in contact with one end of the bridge K. The current fiows through this spring and bridge to the springP on the opposite side and thence through the wire 18 to the wire 4:, which it taps at 19. The effect is that when the wire 5 is broken on the fourth floor, as above mentioned, the bell L is sounded upon the dropping of the relaydever H, the bell L being prevented from sounding by the high resistance from the spool D. The object of providing the bell L on this circuit in addition to the bell L is to render the bell L available through its connection and circuits through the thermostats in case the bell L should become broken or inoperative. Of course it will be understood that the bell L would not be available in case of a fire on account of the comparatively high resistance of the spool D, but would only be available in case the bell L should be useless and the thermostats be in operative condition. The portion of the current which in case of fire enters the bell L through wires 18 and 4 passes from said bell through wires 5 and 11 to the spool D, energizing it, and thereby operating the indicator in the ordinary manner. The return of the current from this spool after having passed through the wires 13 and to the point 16 is down through the wire 5 in the third, second, and first floors successively to the wire 20 and thence at the tap 21 through the wire 22 to the battery B, thus completing the circuit. The current from the bell L returns through the wire 3 and at the tap 23 enters and follows the wire 24 to the spring P and thence crosses the bridge K to the spring P on the 0pposite side and completes the circuit through the wire 25. At the point 21 the two currents from the wires 20 and 25 join and pass into the battery B through the wire 22.

Should a break in circuit No. 1 occur on the third floorthat is to say, in wire 5-the current would recede to and be checked at the point 16, with the result that the lever H in the relay would fall, as above described, in case of the break occurring on the fourth floor. Under these circumstances the wire 15, which when the break was on the fourth floor served as a return-wire and connected with the spool D, would serve as a feed-wire through the tap 14 and wire 26 to the spool IIO D. Thus the wire serves as a feed-wire when the break is on the third fioor and as a return-wire when the break is on the fourth floor. The return-current from the spool D is through wire 27, tap 28, wire 29, and tap 30 to wire 5 and thence through wires and 22 to the battery B. In the same manner as above described should a break occur on the second floor in circuit No. 1 the current would become checked at the tap and the circuit for the outside indicator would be through wire 29, tap 28, and wire 31 to the spool D, the circuit being completed through wire 32, tap 33, wire 34, tap 34, and into wire 5.

In case of a break on the first floor in circuit No. 1 the current on wire 5 would be checked at tap 54 and the circuit from the indicator would be through wire 34, tap 33, and wire 32 to the spool D, the circuit being completed through wire 35 and tap 36, connecting with the regular return-wire 5.

In circuit No. 2, (connected with the electromagnet C,) in case of a break occurring on the fourth floor, the current in wire 16 is checked at the tap 37, with the result that the armature d and lever II in the relay connected with said circuit drop with a similar effect to that described in connection with the other relay, said effect being to turn the bridges K K K K into the horizontal position shown in Fig. 3, thus bringing them into contact with the springs P P PP and establishing a circuit through the wire 38 and tap 39, the current dividing at that point, so that a portion passes through the wire 40 and the vibrating bell L to wire 10 and thence through tap 37 and wire 41 to the spool E, the current returning through wire 42, tap 43, wire 44, and tap 45 into wire 10 and through the floors and through tap 46, wire 47, tap 48, and wire 49 to the battery 50, which is connected by the wire 51 with the spring P' on that side. The balance of the current, which split at the tap 39, passes through the wire 9 to the vibrating bell L and thence through wire 8, tap 52, and wire 53 to the spring P. From this spring the current passes through the bridge K and the spring P on the opposite side and through wires 54 and 49 to the battery 50.

In case of a break on the third floor in wire 10 (which is connected with circuit No. 2) the current is checked at tap 45, and the circuit of the indicator would include wire 44, tap 43, wire 55 to the spool E, the return being through wire 56, tap 57, wire 58, and tap 59, thence down through the wire 10, tap 46, wire 47, tap 48, and wire 49 to the battery 50.

In case of a break on the second floor-in wire 10 the current is checked at 59 and the connection with the indicator is through wire 58, tap 57, and wire 60 to the spool E, the return being through wire 61, tap 62, wire 63, and tap 64 to the return-wire 10 and thence to the battery 50, as before described.

In case of a break occurring on the first floor in wire 10 the check of the current is at 64, and the circuit for the indicator consists of the wire 63, tap 62, wire 65, spool E, wire 66, and tap 67 to the return-wire 10, from which the current returns to the battery 50, as described.

S 8 represent two outside alarm-stations, such as would be at engine-houses, for example, provided, respectively, with suitable reversible batteries 68 and 69. From the battery 68 a wire 70 connects with a galvanometer 71, which is connected by a wire 72 with the vibrating bell 73, which is connected by a wire 74 with an ordinary relay 75, connected by a wire 76 with a battery 77, said battery being connected by the wire 78 with the battery 69 in the alarm-station S. This battery 69 is connected by the wire 79 with the galvanolneter 80, which is connected by the wire 81 with the vibrating bell 82, connected by the wire 83 with the battery 68. A local circuit has a battery 84, which is connected by a wire 85 with a contact-point 86, influenced by the relay 75, the other end of the battery being connected by the wire 87 with the vibrating bell 88, which is connected by the wire 89 with the relay 75. The object of this circuit is to indicate by an alarm upon the bell 88 the occurrence of any break in the circuit or circuits connecting with the engine-house alarms. It will be understood that all the loop-circuits or enginehouse alarm-circuits, however numerous they may be, when under normal working conditions are in or constitute a complete series circuit.

The connections between the loop-circuits or engine-house circuits and the relays which are in circuits 1 and 2 are as follows: At 90 the wire 74 is tapped to receive the wire 91, which connects with the spring P in circuit No. 1, the spring P on the opposite side being connected by the wire 92 with the spring P on the same side in circuit No. 2. The spring P opposite is connected by wire 93 with the wire 83 at the tap 94. At the tap 95 a wire 96 connects the wire 83 with the spring P in circuit No. 1, the spring P opposite being connected by wire 97 with the spring P on the same side in circuit No. 2. The spring P opposite is connected by the wire 98 with the wire 78 by the tap 99. Thus when the levers H H drop the bridges K K K I are forced into contact with the springs P P P P, completing the bridged circuits and actively connecting electrically the relays with the alarms in the engine-houses, the dropping of both sets of levers operating to produce a short circuit at the relays for each engine-house loop.

In case of a fire occurring on any of the floors sufficient to cause at least any one of the thermostats to act in each circuit the levers H H are released and the springs P P P P electrically connected by the bridges K K K K, as above described, with the effect of forming a short circuit from tap 90 through wire 91, springs P, and bridge K under control of circuit No. 1,wire 92, springs P, and bridge K in circuit No. 2, wire 93, tap 94, and wire 83 to the battery 68, the current traveling from said battery 68 through wire 70, galvanometer 71, wire 72, vibrating bell 73, and wire 74 to said tap 90, and thence in the manner above described to tap 94 and through wire 83 to the battery 68. At the same time a shortcircuit is formed from tap 95 through wire 96, springs P, and bridge K under control of circuit No. 1, wire 97, springs P, and bridge K under control of circuit No. 2, Wire 98, tap 99, and wire 78 to the battery 69, the current traveling from said battery through wire 79, galvanometer 80, Wire 81, vibrating bell 82, and wire 83 to said tap 95, and thence through the relays, as above described, to tap 99 and through wire 78 to the battery 69.

The battery 77 operates to keep the wires, belis, galvanometers, and batteries in the different engine-house circuits under constant test, so that a break at any point in bells, instruments, batteries, or wires, or a reduction in the power of the battery 77 will effect the relay 75, whereby its armature is released and thus brought into contact with the point 86, whereby the bell 88 is sounded in the ordinary manner, the circuit including said battery 77 being through wire 76, relay 75, Wire 74L, bell 73, Wire 72, galvanometer7l, wire 70, battery 68, wire 83, bell 82, wire 81, galvanometer 80, wire 79, battery 69, and wire 78 to said battery 77. Under normal conditions, therefore, there is always a weak current through this circuit,which keeps the galvan-ometers in the different engine-house circuits at the O. K.point. If there is abreak in any engine-house loop, the galvanometer drops in the ordinary manner to the Linebroken point. In case of fire the breakage occurs in both inner circuits and the levers H H drop, with the effect that both relays O and 0 form their short circuits, as above described, and the electrical energy stored in the two reversible batteries 68 and 69 becomes free to act on their respective circuits or loops, but in reverse direction to the normal direction of the current from the battery 77, with the effect of swinging the needle of the galvanometer until it points to the word Fire. The effect of the short circuits thus freeing the energy in the reversible batteries 68 and 69, is to produce a much heavier volume of current in the individual circuits, thereby energizing the electromagnets in the bells and causing them to vibrate, the galvanometer to operate, and the needle to point to the word Fire, as above mentioned. It will be un derstood that under normal conditions the current is so small in volume that the bells are not sufficiently energized to vibrate. Thus it will be seen that in this invention all portions of both inner and outer circuits are kept constantly under test, so that no special testing is required, such test being provided by means of the exceedingly fine or mild constant current specified above. Moreover, in

the outside or engine-house circuits the fact or condition of being under test causes the reversible batteries therein to be constantly charged, so that in the event of breakage in any part of the general circuitthat is, the circuit which includes the battery 77 or even in case of said battery 77 being temporarily removed-the outside circuits will still remain operative and their belis capable of sounding an alarm by reason of the stored energy in the reversible batteries 68 and 69.

In this system in case either circuit No. 1 or circuit No. 2 should become either broken or disabled the other circuit will operate its relay, completing the short-circuit connections for the outside or engine-house circuits, while the lever in the relay connected with the broken circuit will have already dropped and performed its part toward completing the short-circuit connections. Moreover, in our system in case of a'break in any one of the engine-house loops that particular loop only is disabled, all the other loops beingin acornplete or operative condition, although the galvanometers in all the other ioops give notice by pointing to Line broken that a break or accident has happened on some enginehouse loop.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a closed-circuit automatic electric heat and fire-alarm system, one or more loop-circuits or engine-house circuits, each including in series one or more reversible batteries and translating devices; a source of electrical en ergy; and a circuit-closing device between said source of electrical energy and the reversiblebatteries, whereby the energy of said batteries is released and said translating devices are brought into activity.

2. In a closed-circuit automatic electric heat and fire-alarm systcm,a plu rality of independent main circuits each extending to the different floors or sections of a building; and one or more loop-circuits adapted to give an outside alarm, as at an engine-house, said loop-circuits being directly under the combined control of all said main circuits but not being affected by any of said main circuits less than the whole number thereof.

.3. In a closed-circuit automatic electric heat and fire-alarm system,a plurality of independent main circuits each extending to the different floors or sections of a buiiding; one or more loop-circuits adapted to give outside alarms, as at an engine-house, said loop-circuits being directly under the control of both said main circuits; independent short-circuiting Wires connected with each of said loops; and mechanical means operated and controlled by the main circuits whereby the circuit is closed in each of said short-circuiting wires at a plurality of points, one of said points being under the direct ce-ntrol of one of the main circuits, and the other point being under the direct control of the other main IOf IIC

circuit, and the said points being in series with each other.

4. In a closed-circuit automatic electric heat and fire-alarm systern,a plurality of independent main circuits each extending to the different floors or sections of a building; and a plurality of high-resistance circuits extending to or including an annunciator on the-outside of the building and floor-terminals of the main circuits, said high-resistance circuits being brought into activity by the breakage of one or more of said main circuits on any fioor.

5. In a closed-circuit automatic electric heat and fire-alarm system,a plurality of independ ent main circuits each extending to the different floors or sections of abuilding; a plurality of high-resistance circuits extending to or including an indicator on the outside of the building and bridging the fl00r-terminals of the main circuits; and two sets of magnet-spools in said annunciators connected respectively with the two said main circuits in the different doors, the spools in each set being in separate series, substantially as set forth.

G. In a closed-circuit automatic electric heat and fire-alarm system, a main circuit extendin g to the different floors or sections of a building; a plurality of alarm-bells in series with said circuit; means whereby said circuit and bells are constantly furnished with a weak but uninterrupted electrical current insufi'icient in volume to sound the alarm on the bells; and means for adding to said volume of electricity when a breakage occurs in the main circuit sufficient to sound said alarm.

7. In a closed-circuit automatic electric heat and fire-alarm system,a plurality of independent main circuits each extending to the different floors or sections of a building, a plurality of circuits extending to or including an indicator on the outside of the building and bridging the floor-terminals on the main circuits, whereby the circuits, including the indicator,are broughtinto activity by the breaking of either of the main circuits.

8. In a closed-circuit automatic electric heat and fire-alarm system, a plurality of independent rnain circuits each extending to the diiferent floors or sections of a building; a plurality of high-resistance circuits extending to or including an indicator on the outside of the building and bridging the floorterminals on the main circuits; two sets of magnet-spools in said annunciators connected respectively with the two said main circuits in the different floors, the spools in each said set being in separate series, each of the intermediate wires in each of said high-resistance circuits, that is, the wires between the highest and the lowest wires, feeding between and tapping into two adjacent spools and serving as feed-wires or return-wires according to the floor in which the break occurs, substantially as described.

9. In a closed-circuit automatic electric heat and fire-alarm system, a main circuit extending from the diiferent floors or sections of a building; a series of loop-circuits adapted to give outside alarms and be directly under the control of the main circuit; short-circuiting wires connected with said loops and provided with mechanical means operated orcontrolled by said main circuit whereby the circuit is closed in each said short-circuiting wire; and a main circuit provided with a suitable battery and relay in electrical connection with said loop-circuits, each of the loopcircuits being in series with a reversible battery-bell and galvanometer, the said loop-circuits and last-named main circuit normally operating as a single large series circuit, but in case of a breakage on one of the floors of the building being divided into a number of distinct circuits, substantially as set forth.

10. In a closed-circuit automatic electric heat and fire-alarm system, a plurality of independentmain circuits each extending to the different floors or sections of a building;

a series of loop-circuits adapted to give outside alarms and be directly. under the control of the main circuits; short-circuiting wires connected with said loops and provided with mechanical means operated and controlled by said main circuits, whereby the circuit is closed in each said short-circuiting wire; and a main circuit provided with a suitable battery and relay in electrical connection with said loop-circuits, each said loop-circuit havin g in series a bell, galvanometer and reversible battery, the said battery being kept constantly charged by the battery in the lastnarned main circuit, whereby the wires, bells, and galvanonieters are constantly under test, substantially as described.

11, In an automatic electric heat and firealarm system, a plurality of independent main circuits extending to the different floors or sections of a building, one or more loopcircuits, including in series, an alarm device and a source of electric energy and adapted to give an outside alarm, as at an enginehouse, said loop-circuits being under the direct control of said plurality of circuits, independent circuit closing wires connected with each of said loops, and means whereby the circuit is closed in each of said circuitclosing wires, at a plurality of points, one of said points being under the direct control of one main circuit, and the other point under the direct control of another main circuit, said points being in series with each other.

12. In a closed-circuit automatic electric heat and fire-alarm system, the relay comprising an electromagnet, a lever provided with an armature and hinged at its lower end to a suitable base, said lever being held in a nearly-vertical position by a slight expenditure of power on the part of the battery, a cross-piece rigid with said lever and supported in suitable boxes, insulated bridges rigid with said cross-piece and extending longitudinally with the lever, and metallic springs arranged on opposite sides of the bridges and making contact with the bridges when the lever swings down, said springs being in electrical connection with said system, substantially as described.-

13. In a closed-circuitautomatic electric heat and fire-alarm system, the relay c0mprising an electromagnet, a lever provided with an armature and hinged at its lower end to a suitable base, said lever being held in a nearly-vertical position by a slight expenditure of power on the part of the battery, a cross-piece rigid with said lever and supported in suitable boxes, insulated bridges having sharp edges and rigid with said cross-piece and extending longitudinally with the lever, and copper-faced metallic springs arranged on opposite sides of the bridges and making a digging contact With said bridges when the lever swings down, said springs being in electrical connection with said system, substan tially as set forth.

14. In a closed-circuit automatic electric heat and fire-alarm system, the relay comprising an electromagnet, the lever H formed with the T-shaped cross-piece h journaled in suitable boxes and provided with an armature, said lever being adapted by means of a counterbalance to be held in a nearly-vertical position by a slight expenditure of energy onthe part of the battery, the substantially elliptical bridges K rigid on the cross-piece but insulated therefrom and with their long axes parallel with. the lever, and the metallic springs P on opposite sides of said bridges, whereby the swinging down ofthe lever brings the end edges of the bridges into contact with the springs, substantially as described.

Witnesses:

GRACE E. I'IIBBER'J, DELMAR G. ITURD. 

